


Whiskey and Cigarettes

by Buggirl



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Drinking, M/M, Smoking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-27
Updated: 2018-01-27
Packaged: 2019-03-10 08:39:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13498502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Buggirl/pseuds/Buggirl
Summary: Scott wants to tell Reyes something, and finds the only way that makes sense to them both.





	Whiskey and Cigarettes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BlueTeaParty](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueTeaParty/gifts).



> A gift for the Masseffectholidaycheer exchange. Hope you like it!

__

 

_Scott was never one for life in the shadows. He played hard and fast, and looked older than his twenty-four years. Life had scarred him, beneath armour was bare skin rubbed red raw. A lifetime lived, and life he’d wanted to leave behind. It took six hundred years to feel free. Sara and his mother were the only ones who understood. Until now._

Reyes placed his feet up on the crate and leaned back in his chair. “You know Scott, this is antiquated, this smoking thing. Don’t you think? I’m a smuggler and I have no idea where you get this supply of cigarettes. They come all the way from the Milky Way?”

Scott snorted a laugh, blew the last plume of smoke into the air and stubbed out the cigarette on the cargo bay floor. “You know they grow tobacco on the Nexus right? It’s not well known, medicinal they say, oh and the Nicotine makes a good bug spray. And anyway, I smoke because, stress hormones.”

“What?”

“Researchers discovered years ago why smoking and drinking go so well together. They’re complementary.”

Reyes nodded his head. “Really? How do hormones fit into this smoking picture? I didn’t ask about drinking, but it sounds as if you gonna tell me anyway.”

Scott nodded, leaned forward and stroked Reyes knee. “Scientists found that alcohol boosts dopamine levels in the brain’s pleasure centres.”

“I always said the brain was the human body’s biggest sex organ,” Reyes said and rubbed his hands together before reaching for his glass and taking a sip.

“Shut up and let me finish. That’s what gives you a euphoric feeling, dopamine. However, if you drink on a regular basis the brain responds less and less to alcohol and you need more to get that same pleasure.”

Reyes put his glass down as though as to emphasise his moderate drinking then reached forward and caressed Scott’s hand. “I can’t say I let my drinking get out of control. Loose lips and all.”

Scott traced the line of Reyes lips, and smiled about where they’d been. “Stop flirting I haven’t finished yet.”

“You’re the one with a hand travelling up my leg.” He removed his hand from Scott’s and sat back again. “Go on; keep on with this fascinating tale of the brain. All my pleasure centres are open and waiting.”

“Nicotine seems to also lessen the effect of dopamine. The stress relief you get from nicotine is really from the reversal of the tension and irritability that develop during times when you aren’t smoking.It’s a vicious cycle with smoking.”

“One should just stick to drinking then.”

Scott scratched his brow and then knelt at Reyes feet, both hands moving up Reyes thighs. “What I’m trying to say is that smoking increases the level of stress hormones, and why you want to drink more when smoking. In effect, when you drink a lot, smoking can help you control the euphoria and drinking after smoking allows you to reduce the stress hormones. Making you happy.”

Reyes leaned forward and ran a hand through Scott’s hair and leaned down to kiss his forehead. He placed his hand under Scott’s chin and brought his face level with his own. “I’m not following except to think that this is this a roundabout way of telling me that you like me, and that I make you feel calm.”

Scott laughed and felt his ears burn. He cleared his throat. “Yeah, that’s exactly what it is. You make me forget myself, who I was. You make me feel good. Everything around is clearer when you’re with me.” The kind of like he had for Reyes had him lightheaded and made his chest tighten. He wanted him, not just for sex, but the companionship the smuggler gave him was something above physical pleasure, and the only way he could describe it was that they fit together like whiskey and cigarettes. “I like  _you_ , very much.”

Reyes pressed his lips against his. A firm kiss, one that told Scott that he was eager for more.

When Reyes drew back he gave a one sided smile. “It’s okay, you just forgot who you are. Welcome back, Ryder.”

Scott’s hands snuck up under Reyes suit, over his stomach and he leaned up for another kiss.

Reyes skirted a thumb over Scott’s lip. “You taste of cigarettes and sadness. I find I crave that taste every day. So yes, if I forgot to mention, I like you too.”

“Then stop talking and give me a whiskey kiss.”


End file.
